Minerva Reef to New Zealand Passage Summary

Hi everyone,

Here is a summary of our 800nm passage between the North Minerva Reef and Opua in New Zealand.  We sailed in loose company with at least a dozen other yachts.  We had a wide range of conditions.  During the first four days we motored for 50 hours in very light wind.  Then we had to cross a stationary front which gave us 20-30 knot E winds.  On the final night we had to motor for another 10 hours in flat calm and fog.

Bound for New Zealand

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Here are the vital stats for the passage…

    • Distances/Speeds

        • Route Distance = 790 nm

        • Logged Distance = 763 nm, so we had current assistance overall

        • GPS Distance = 828 nm

        • Duration = 7 days

        • Average speed = 4.9 kt

        • Minimum boat speed = 2.0 kt

        • Maximum boat speed = 6.1 kt

    • Weather

        • Minimum wind speed = 0 kt

        • Average wind speed = 15 knots

        • Maximum wind speed = 25 with gusts to 32

        • Apparent wind angle range = 70 to 150

        • Seas 1-2m

        • Swell 1-3m

        • Cloud varying from 1/8 to 8/8

        • 3/4 to full moon

    • Engine

        • Total = 60 hour

        • Driving = 60 hour

        • Charging = 0 hours

    • Failures

        • None

    • Stars

        • The boat - as always

        • Pelagic autopilot in the light airs

        • WindPilot vane gear in the breeze

The weather for the passage was interesting.  We had always expected to encounter a front since they come through too frequently for us to avoid.  But we ended up with a stationary front to cross, with mid--level troughs above too.  Here are two synoptic charts from the middle of the passage.

Synoptic chart from Fiji met service

Synoptic chart from NZ met service

The stationary ftont had some big embedded storm cells but thankfully they were scattered and we didn't encounter any.  Some boats had 50-60 knots to contend with.  The nastiest part for us was before the wind set in but the sea state was ugly with 3m breaking waves on the beam.  I reckon they came from a storm upwind we missed, but we got its waves which were tumbling once out of the wind.

Through the front under storm staysail & trisail-sized main

Seaway

Looking at NoForeignLand showed over 70 yachts enroute to New Zealand with us, from Tonga, Fiji and elsewhere.  The officials told us they were setting a new record for the number of boats being cleared in one day at Opua.

So it was an interesting passage!  It was great to arrive in New Zealand - our primary goal for the year.  Now we have an entirely different country and climate to enjoy over the summer.

Trust all's well where you are!

Opua Arrival

 Hi everyone,

We arrived in Opua at 0630 on Wednesday 5th, making it a 7 day passage.  We'll post a passage summary soon.  We docked at the Bay of Islands Marina Q (for Quarantine) dock.  It was fairly crowded but we found a spot.

Bay of Islands Marina

Tuesday afternoon saw us reaching towards the Bay of Islands in a slowly fading breeze.  By 2100 we were losing steerage way and the sails were slatting in the low swell so the engine went on.  We slowly motored the 35nm to Opua.  On entering the Bay of Islands we were enveloped in fog which made it an interesting arrival.  Visibility wasn't too bad at 100-200m.  We did one 'circuit' to delay our arrival until after dawn.

Into the foggy Bay of Islands

Approaching Opua

At the Q dock

At about 0800 officials started to visit all the waiting yachts, building a queue based on their arrival times.  Very fair but we were well down the queue.  A few hours later we were searched by a NZ Navy guy on loan to Customs.  Then we were interviewed by a very friendly and efficient Customs lady.  Then in the early afternoon we were interviewed by an equally friendly and efficient Biosecurity lady.  She had seen our Biosecurity document and asked to see our video taken after the most recent hull cleaning.  She then used a GoPro to inspect the hull herself.  All good thank goodness!  The many hours of hull cleaning paid off.

By mid-afternoon we were in a pen on E dock of the marina.  At 1700 we joined an OCC get-together on an Amel 56, then dinner at the Opua Cruising Club.  The beer was good, as were the sausages.

In the marina

Opua sunset

On Thursday we did our laundry then joined the crew of OCC sv Wild Iris to taxi into the nearby town of Paihia.  There we got fresh fruit & veg at the farmer's market, followed by a great lunch at Charlotte's Kitchen.

Marina office with great facillties including laundry

Laundry time!

Lunch!

After lunch we walked the 2km to the Woolworths supermarket in Waitangi.  The town is famous for the treaty signed there between the British and Maoris.  The supermarket is pretty good.  We taxied back to the marina from there.

 

Heading home with booty

Back on board we filled our water tanks and jerries, and washed off the salt on deck.

Today we filled our fuel tank and jerries, did the remaining laundry and started spending at the two on-site chandleries.  Busy busy busy but fun too.

Trust all's well where you are!

Opua Inbound Day 3

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 34 07S 174 44E steering 185M, sailing under double-reefed main and double-furled yankee at 6 knots.  The wind was 15G18 from the E.  Our noon to noon distances were 122nm by the log and 127nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 688nm and 745nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 79nm.  Just a Freo to Bunbury.

Into the blue

Yesterday afternoon the wind held in at 20G28 fro the E to ENE until mid-evening.  Then we broke out of the cloud and wind decreased gradually to 15G20.  We had a 7/8 moon which lit the scene wonderfully and made the brighter stars conspicuous.  Twas a very nice overnight sail.

By dawn low cloud had re-emerged and the wind continued to slowly ease.  Then mid-morning the sky began to clear again with only mid-level cloud remaining.  The 'long white cloud' perhaps! 

The screenshot below shows our position at noon and the few other yachts still at sea in our group.  Two days north are EBBYC SVs Moody Rudie and Island Kea II.  They spent only one night at Minerva Reef before departing.  We've been between a few days and a couple of weeks ahead of them all the way across the South Pacific, apart from a few brief get-togethers.

PredictWind Tracks

We've updated our ETA with NZ Customs from noon Thursday to dawn tomorrow (Wednesday).  We'll be very pleased to have made the passage in a week.

Trust all's well where you are!